This document is a compendium of proceedings from three state conferences held in Salt Lake City (September 13-14, 1983), San Francisco (November 16-18, 1983), and Reno (February 2-3, 1984). These conferences brought together outstanding researchers to share their findings and perspectives with other educators of the region. The proceedings are divided into chapters that reflect the organization of the conference agendas. Chapter 1 consists of four papers on perspectives on effective schools, which offer viewpoints and strategic guidelines for increasing school effectiveness. Chapter 2 consists of three papers on principalship, which set forth issues for school improvement, delineate principal styles, and describe an instructional management academy. Chapter 3 consists of four papers discussing current research into teacher effectiveness. Chapter 4 consists of two presentations on critical thinking skills. Chapter 5 consists of six papers covering various approaches to staff development, including an example from the private sector (Hewlett Packard Co.) and a new state program (the California Mentor Teacher Program). Chapter 6 conists of four papers discussing the problems and potential of microcomputer applications in education and concludes with a description of the California Model Curriculum for Computers in Education. (TE)